Cleantech A Beacon In The California Gloom

Christina Ann VanMeter /CC BY-ND 2.0 According to the 2012 California Green Innovation Index , compiled by Next 10 , the state’s investment in the clean technology is doing more than innovation. It's also helping California grow its economy and cut emissions after one of the worst recessions in history devastated the housing sector and reduced the real estate tax base of almost every city and county. The statistics don’t lie. Assembled by Next 10, a nonprofit vested in informational assessments focusing on California’s environment, economy and way of life, the state is clearly leading the pack in terms of venture capital commitment, clean tech patent filings, energy productivity and, most notably, renewable energy generation. In fact, the compilation of data (by Collaborative Economics) shows that, from 2010 to 2011, California was ahead in cleantech investment by 24 perce...